I’m ready to take a picture here but the spotlight was turned around, capturing Michael and me instead! As we long for the courts of God, our attention is on Him-(ready to take a pic). He in turn shines back on our hearts revealing the entry way to a highway that brings us to Zion. He strengthens us with pools of refreshing amidst the bitterness (Baca) of life. Are we dwelling in the tents of wickedness or refreshed in the courts of the Lord? God’s favor and honor are all around those who trust Him.- Teresa #Hisdwellingislovely #desiringtobeadoorkeeper #longingandreceivingspringsofjoyfuldelight

Psalm 84: 1-12 (ESV)

1

How lovely is your dwelling place,

O Lord of hosts!

2

My soul longs, yes, faints

for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and flesh sing for joy

to the living God.

3

Even the sparrow finds a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may lay her young,

at your altars, O Lord of hosts,

my King and my God.

4

Blessed are those who dwell in your house,

ever singing your praise! Selah

5

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

in whose heart are the highways to Zion.[b]

6

As they go through the Valley of Baca

they make it a place of springs;

the early rain also covers it with pools.

7

They go from strength to strength;

each one appears before God in Zion.

8

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;

give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah

9

Behold our shield, O God;

look on the face of your anointed!

10

For a day in your courts is better

than a thousand elsewhere.

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

11

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;

the Lord bestows favor and honor.

No good thing does he withhold

from those who walk uprightly.

12

O Lord of hosts,

blessed is the one who trusts in you!

Reading about the tragic history of Uganda over the past four decades, I am encouraged by Paul’s writing to the Thessalonian church. Their faith in the midst of persecution was richly rewarded through the power of God’s grace in their lives. Help us, Lord, to give thanks if we have endured persecution for the sake of your name. May your power be displayed throughout the nations especially the nation of Uganda where your people have endured much and demonstrate your glory and love. – Teresa #besteadfastunmoveablealwaysaboundingintheworkoftheLord #yourlaborisnotinvain #Icor15:58

It’s very exciting to know we have a fresh start after water baptism. Visually, we are identifying with the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord. After confessing His name as Savior of our lives, we disappear under the water acknowledging that we are dying to our old self (crucified with Christ). When we come out of the water (full of joy at the realization He has paid the penalty for our sin), we are more than willing to live in a new way. This means we are no longer governed by fear but filled with love. Just as we have received forgiveness we can extend forgiveness to those who would want to bully or threaten us by fear. Walking in the newness of life means we are renewed by really knowing (experiencing His presence) in our lives. This means that we understand Jesus is the exact representation/image of God’s heart for the world. – Teresa #welovebecausehefirstlovedus #walkinginthenewnessoflifemeansseeingfroma heavenlyperspective #OneLordonefaithonebaptismoneGodandFatherofall #Hisbodyembracesdiverselivesworldwide

Colosians 3 1-17 ESV

3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your[a] life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:[b] sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.[c] 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self[d] with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,[e] free; but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him

This wetland area is almost dried out as the summertime drought draws to a close. Notice the green foliage where the actual creek bed flows, We too are refreshed as long as we stay near the source of life, Maybe it’s a time of drought while we are waiting for a different season. In the meantime, we have His great and precious promise to sustain our lives here on earth. His presence is in the common place and in the ordinary movement of our schedules.- Teresa #Histrengthsustainsme

Psalm 73: 23-26 (ESV)

Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
    you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

When rule-driven ethics disappoint and feelings-driven relationships deceive, we are held secure by the truth of Christ’s love for us. Paul was in labor for the spiritual birth of those being called to Christ. As a new mom bonds to her newborn with hormonal oxytocin, Paul bonded to the new believers with agape love. Christ sent the Holy Spirit to empower Paul with unfailing love to reap a harvest from hardened soil. He experienced the suffering of Christ but he also was filled with the sweetness of knowing the Savior’s love personally.- Teresa #livingwater #thirsty

Philippians 1: 8-11 (ESV)

8For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

When you watch something beautiful, it’s poetry in motion. When you read something beautiful, it’s an exercise of poetry. God has made certain that we understand the beauty of His intention toward us…not to leave us without His redemption. – Teresa #amazedatHisuffering #gratefulforHislove #Fathersswillmeansprosperingformankind

Isaiah 53:4-12 (ESV)

4 

Surely he has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken,

smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 

But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed.

6 

All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have turned—every one—to his own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.

7 

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,

yet he opened not his mouth;

like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,

so he opened not his mouth.

8 

By oppression and judgment he was taken away;

and as for his generation, who considered

that he was cut off out of the land of the living,

stricken for the transgression of my people?

9 

And they made his grave with the wicked

and with a rich man in his death,

although he had done no violence,

and there was no deceit in his mouth.

10 

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;

he has put him to grief;[n]

when his soul makes[o] an offering for guilt,

he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;

the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

11 

Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see[p] and be satisfied;

by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,

make many to be accounted righteous,

and he shall bear their iniquities.

12 

Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,[q]

and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,[r]

because he poured out his soul to death

and was numbered with the transgressors;

yet he bore the sin of many,

and makes intercession for the transgressors.

There are times when the rainbow inspires us to seek a pot of gold. The riches at the end of the rainbow are what hope is made of. God, who is rich in mercy, will not allow us to wallow in the storms of life when we look to Him in faith. Being seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus is truly an overwhelming inheritance! Walking in the good works created for us emphasizes His workmanship!- Teresa #Godspromise #immeasurableriches

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)

1-2 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body[a] and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.[b] 4 But[c] God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

God’s gentle shepherding led me during the years of childbearing, upholding my strength. This past week, we were watching video footage from back in the 90’s when our children were babies. While we were shepherding the wee ones, the Lord was shepherding us. We saw images of faithful saints who are now in glory (U.Karl, A.Lee, Bapoo, my dad, etc). Their love for our family is still felt, decades later. God’s greatness is enhanced by His gentleness, helping us understand that the recompense preceding His arrival prepares us for the reward of His presence. -Teresa #goodnews #fearnot #hispresence #gentleshepherdcomeandleadus

Isaiah 40: 9-11 (ESV)

The Greatness of God

9 

Go on up to a high mountain,

O Zion, herald of good news;[e]

lift up your voice with strength,

O Jerusalem, herald of good news;[f]

lift it up, fear not;

say to the cities of Judah,

“Behold your God!”

10 

Behold, the Lord God comes with might,

and his arm rules for him;

behold, his reward is with him,

and his recompense before him.

11 

He will tend his flock like a shepherd;

he will gather the lambs in his arms;

he will carry them in his bosom,

and gently lead those that are with young.

Low or high we are all in need of a place of refuge. On our own, our significance is not weighty. God’s power is made known through the way He terrifies us. His knowledge, beauty and love are greater than anything we can attain or imagine. By the constraint of such power into human minds. we experience His provision. According to an individual man’s work, God renders His gifts of heavenly thought into our earthly existence. – Teresa #Godinfused #ministryismylfe #mylifeiscommon

Psalm 62: 8-12 (ESV)

8Trust in him at all times, O people;

pour out your heart before him;

God is a refuge for us. Selah

9 

Those of low estate are but a breath;

those of high estate are a delusion;

in the balances they go up;

they are together lighter than a breath.

10 

Put no trust in extortion;

set no vain hopes on robbery;

if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

11 

Once God has spoken;

twice have I heard this:

that power belongs to God,

12 

and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.

For you will render to a man

according to his work.